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I remember playing outside as a kid. Every single day I’d go out and play with my cousins. We’d be outside for hours. We’d ride our bikes, play on the swing set, and come up with all sorts of versions for tag and hide-and-seek. My mom would provide the snacks and we’d provide the fun! Those are amazing memories.

bird's eye view of two boys eqting armour lunchmakers at a picnic bench

Now that I have my own kids, 5 to be exact, I want them to grow up and have those same wonderful memories of playing outside with their friends. I don’t want them to be playing on electronics all day, instead, I want them to go outside as much as possible, ride their bikes, play baseball with friends at the park, and enjoy some fresh air and a bit of nature. What a difference it makes in everyone’s attitude when we get some outdoor time!

The Perfect On-the-Go Snack

With outdoor activities comes hunger! You know what I mean, every 5 minutes somebody wants a snack! If we had a dime for every time a kid asks for a snack, right?! Well, I’m happy to report, I’ve found the perfect solution. In comes Armour LunchMakers + Drink. My kids love them and they’re perfect for taking to the park with us since they come nicely packed in an easy-to-open box.

child with blue shirt drinking from a juice box inside and holding a cracker with ham and cheese from a lunchmakers pack

LunchMakers + Drink come with crackers, cheese, ham, a fruit bar, and a drink. What I love about them is the fruit punch drink is made from 100% juice and the fruit bar is made with real fruit. They’re a good source of protein and calcium so I feel good about my kids eating it as a snack. The only problem? My 16 and 18-year-old keep eating them too!

My 9-year-old boy and my 14-year-old girl love taking a box of LunchMakers + Drink to the park to snack on when they get hungry from running around playing “Infection”. It’s a form of tag, in case you haven’t heard of it! The LunchMakers + Drink packs keep their bellies full and that means I can have some “me” time at the park visiting with my friends! Win-win!

Where Can You Get LunchMakers + Drink?

I get my LunchMakers + Drink at my local H-E-B. You can find them in the deli aisle next to the other portable meals at your local H-E-B. My kids love the Ham & American Cheese the most but there are other varieties to choose from. The boxes come packed with delicious items your kids will enjoy plus the boxes are easy to open which means your kid can enjoy it on their own!

a boy taking out a box of armour lunchmakers from the refrigerator

So, head to your local H-E-B and buy some Armour LunchMakers + Drink. As a bonus treat, you can save $1 on Armour LunchMakers + Drink. You can try all the different varieties to see which ones are your kids’ favorites. I know you’ll love them as much as we do!

Go Make Some Memories with Your Kids

I can’t tell you enough how great it is to spend time outside with your kids. You don’t need much to have a lot of fun and make some great memories they’ll never forget. Plus, there’s no need to waste time figuring out what snacks to fix to take with you. Armour has you covered! All you have to do is grab a couple of LunchMakers + Drink and head outside.

a child's hand pulling a box of armour lunchmakers plus drink from refrigerator

Let the kids run around, fill their bellies and enjoy the outdoors. I’d love to hear about it in the comments when you try these awesome LunchMakers + Drink! How will you make memories with your kids?

2 kids sitting on park bench each holding a box of armour lunchmakers and drink ham and american cheese

Washing dishes is probably my least favorite housewifing task. You can imagine the piles of dishes we go through daily with 7 people in the house, 3 of those being teenage boys! The thing with dirty dishes is if you don’t clean them, it doesn’t matter how clean your kitchen is, it still looks dirty.

washing dishes

Throughout the years, and after many, many piles of dishes washed, I’ve figured out ways to make the process less painful and a lot faster. I’m sharing these tips with you today.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

Spoiler alert: you still have to do the dishes! If you thought I was going to tell you about the magic fairies that come to your house to do dishes, you may be disappointed! But I will show you some easy steps you can take and products you can use to make washing dishes easier and faster.

Clean Your Space!

Here is a list of items you can use to clean your space.

The linked products below are affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.
Featured Items

Here is a list of the products featured in this post or products similar to those featured in this post:

10 Best Household Cleaning Products

If you’re ready for a quicker and easier cleaning routine, then make sure to check out my Favorite Household Cleaning Products. 

1. Use Hot Water

I wash my dishes with super hot water. It makes it so much easier to remove any stuck-on mess and grease. Even though I have a dishwasher I still like to use hot water to clean the dishes before putting them in there. This way I know my dishes will really be clean.

how to wash dishes

Another benefit of using hot water is it dries much faster! So if you’re washing dishes that can’t go in the dishwasher, you’ll be done faster by cutting the drying time. So use the hottest water you can stand without burning yourself!

2. Use Gloves

Wearing gloves not only protects your hands from the soap but it also allows you to use hot water. Make sure you use sturdy, non-slip rubber gloves. They should fit your hands comfortably but not be so big that you can’t control your fingers.

DishFish dish washing sponge

3. Use a Really Good Sponge and Scrubber

Having a good scrubber or sponge is a must to make washing dishes easier. You want to make sure the sponge is durable, strong, and it won’t scratch your pans. The DishFish is your champion in this department.

DishFish dish washing sponge

This cute little fish tackles your toughest messes without scratching or crumbling. It does a great job at removing caked-on food and you don’t even feel like you have to scrub that hard. With a DishFish, you’ll save money by not having to replace your sponge as often.

I’m not a fan of regular sponges and we used to go through a lot of them. What I love the most about the DishFish sponge is it lasts so much longer than regular sponges AND it doesn’t smell or retain bacteria odors. How cool is that? You can see the difference with about a week and a half use.

dish washing sponge

The DishFish stands on its fin when you’re done using it which allows it to dry quickly and avoid stinkiness. Nobody wants a stinky germy sponge!

sponges for washing dishes

If you’re still using a regular sponge, it’s time to make the switch. You’ll love it. The DishFish comes in two types of sponges. One is a scrubber and the other is the dual scrubber which also has a bacteria-resistant sponge. Either one gets the job done beautifully!

cleaning countertops with dish sponge

4. Clean the Dishes in Order

You want to make sure and start with your cleanest dishes first. This usually means cups, mugs, and glasses. You can then move on to utensils and plates leaving the pots, pans, and baking dishes for last. While you clean the first dishes, you can put a few drops of soap in your dirtiest pans and fill them with hot water so they can soak.

best gloves for washing dishes

Make sure you know which dishes are dishwasher safe and which ones aren’t. Usually, good knives and non-stick pans are a no-go. I clean those items and place them on a drying mat next to the sink so I can put them away when I’m done.

washing and drying dishes on a drying mat

5. Clean As You Go

There are two parts to this tip. One is for when you’re cooking. When I’m cooking I like to clean up as I go. It makes such a huge difference! When I use things like measuring cups or measuring spoons, I simply take the 30 seconds it takes to clean them and lay them on a drying mat next to the sink. When I’m finished cooking I put the clean dishes away in no time.

The second part of this tip is for when you’re done eating. You can do this throughout the day if you have a snack. Rinse the plate before putting it in the sink. At mealtimes, if everyone takes a few seconds to rinse off their plate or throw away scraps right after eating, it will make your cleanup so much easier. This leads us to the next tip.

6. Just Do the Dishes!

The only way to get the dishes done is to do them! I know it sounds silly, but don’t put it off. Get into the habit of cleaning them every single night. In my home, we have to do them twice a day because of the number of people in my family. But for most people, once a day would do.

best way to hand wash dishes

Do the dishes right after dinner and start the dishwasher so they clean overnight. You will wake up with a clean sink and that’s always nice! Unless, of course, you have teenagers, and dishes magically appear in the sink overnight!

Bonus tip: Bring in the Fairies!

So I know I told you there were no magic fairies that come to your home to do the dishes. I may have fibbed! If you have teenagers, then you have fairies! They’ll be thrilled to do the dishes! Just make sure you give them a DishFish so the dishes will be sparkly clean!

best way to wash dishes

There you have it, my 6 tips for easing your dishwashing woes. Is there something different that you do to make washing dishes easier? I would love to hear about it in the comments!

SAVE FOR LATER

If you’re looking for the best homemade flour tortillas in San Antonio, you are in the right place! We love road tripping to San Antonio from Houston, and we especially love great places to eat at in San Antonio. In our search for the best places to eat, we discovered the best tortillas in town!

best flour tortillas in san antonio

My post, Best Places to Stop Between Houston and San Antonio, has provided lots of people with some awesome eating adventures on their road trips! So I hope this tortilla post will do the same! I love flour tortillas and these tortillas were about the best I’ve ever had!

Kid-Friendly Tex-Mex and the Best Tortillas in San Antonio

When doing research for our trip, so many recommended we try out Alamo Cafe for some excellent Tex Mex. We went to the Alamo Cafe for an early lunch and visited the 281/San Pedro location. With 5 kids, we always make sure that the restaurants we visit are kid-friendly. Alamo Cafe was certainly kid-friendly, and the grounds were so pretty!

best kid-friendly tex-mex restaurant in san antonio

They Have a Tortilla Factory in the Restaurant!

When we walked in, we were surprised that right in the entrance they have their very own flour tortilla mini-factory! I LOVE flour tortillas and so does the rest of my family. In Honduras, we ate flour tortillas so much. It’s hard to find store-bought tortillas that compare. So I was excited to try these fresh flour tortillas with our lunch.

alamo tortilla factory san antonio

The Menu at Alamo Cafe

First off, let me tell you, our lunch was awesome!! We all ordered different items off the menu and tried a little bit of everything. It was all delicious! We were especially fond of the Brisket Quesadillas and the Davy Dip. For their full menu, check out their website here.

Famous for Their Homemade Tortillas

Now, on to the famous homemade tortillas! Alamo Cafe is known for their flour tortillas and we just had to make a stop to try them! These tortillas were perfect! Think fluffy, warm, thick, and fresh! We ordered some tortillas with our meal and enjoyed them with salsa and queso. The tortillas were so freaking good, we ordered a couple of bags to take with us back to our hotel!

Get the Best Tortillas in San Antonio

So if you’re in San Antonio, and you’re looking for some amazing tortillas, I highly recommend stopping by the Alamo Cafe. You will be getting the best tortillas in San Antonio!

alamo cafe san antonio

If you’d like to see my other recommendations for your trip to San Antonio, check out my post on the Best Kid-friendly Restaurants in San Antonio. I also have some great ideas for the Best Things to Do In San Antonio with Kids.

best flour tortillas in san antonio

Happy Traveling!

SAVE FOR LATER

If you’re in San Antonio and are looking for a juicy and delicious burger, you’re in luck! San Antonio has some of the best burgers you can eat. My family and I love taking road trips to San Antonio and finding great places to eat, which is one of our goals each time. San Antonio never disappoints!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

We’ve discovered some of the best kid-friendly restaurants in San Antonio. They all have something different and special they offer. But when it comes to burgers, we’ve all agreed that one place, definitely takes the cake! Or the burger for that matter.

The Absolute Best Burgers in San Antonio

If you want the juiciest and by far the cheesiest burger in San Antonio, then you can’t pass up a visit to Chris Madrid’s. Opened in 1977, Chris Madrid’s has become an iconic restaurant in San Antonio. A family-friendly restaurant serving the best burgers in town.

burger places in san antonio

Chris Madrid’s unfortunately suffered a terrible fire in 2017 that made them close down their original location temporarily. However, three months later they set up camp across the street with a food truck, a large tent, and a limited menu. This tent is where we had the pleasure to enjoy Chris Madrid’s burgers.

The original restaurant has been under construction and renovation for several years, but they continue to operate in the tent across the street. Fortunately for all Chris Madrid’s fans and loyal customers, the original location is set to open at the end of July 2019.

Despite the heat in San Antonio, the tent and food truck was a pleasant experience. They have plenty of fans cooling the tent, and the burgers are so good, you won’t even notice the heat!

Our favorite burger at Chris Madrid’s is the Macho Cheddar Cheezy. You’ll get your cheese fix for the week!! If it’s your first time there, I recommend the Macho Cheddar Cheezy. Since you’ll definitely be back, you can try their other amazing menu items on your next visit! Check out their complete menu here.

I can’t wait to go back to San Antonio and visit Chris Madrid’s newly renovated restaurant. If you have a chance to visit I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

What’s your favorite burger at Chris Madrid’s?

SAVE FOR LATER

There’s nothing more exciting than planning a vacation! Well, maybe actually going on the vacation! But for me, planning is part of the fun! I love doing the research and love the excitement of the build-up before the trip. Is that just me?

Last year, we had the opportunity to take a road trip to San Antonio. It was a long-awaited and much-needed vacation! We had not been anywhere in 2 years. On a side note, if you’re driving to San Antonio from Houston you must read my post on the Best Places to Stop between Houston and San Antonio.

The main purpose of our trip was to go to Sea World, but we decided to spend a few extra days there and enjoy some of the sights and activities in beautiful San Antonio. I did lots of research and found the spots we definitely wanted to hit while we were there.

I needed the places to be kid-friendly, but also entertaining for us adults. We had been to San Antonio before, but our recently adopted children had never been. So it was fun planning the trip and making sure we got the most out of the 4 days we would be there.

In my opinion, San Antonio is the most kid-friendly city to visit in Texas. So if you’re planning a trip to San Antonio with your kids, you’ll definitely want to consider these places as part of your adventure!

Sea World

This one is a no-brainer. If you’re going to San Antonio with kids, you have to spend a day at Sea World. It’s best to plan to go on a weekday for lighter crowds, even in the summer.

Sea World has plenty of awesome things to keep you busy for an entire day. They have a waterpark you can go to as well, Aquatica, but we opted out of that. We spent the day enjoying the rides, the characters and the food! The Sesame Street characters are a treat, especially for the little ones. The older kids enjoyed the thrilling rides.

Read more in detail about our day in Sea World. I have lots of great tips to make the most out of your day there.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas

If you have older kids, they may prefer spending the day at Six Flags. We didn’t have time to go on this trip, but it’s definitely worth it for the kids. There’s plenty of rides for the older kids but there’s also lots for the little ones.

If you have the chance to go to Six Flags, do it. You won’t be disappointed!

The Alamo (and surrounding area)

You can’t visit San Antonio and not stop by The Alamo. It’s a piece of history and it’s worth taking the kids even if just for a quick tour. The entrance to The Alamo is free and there’s a neat gift shop the kids will love.

After visiting the Alamo, there’s plenty of fun activities for you and the kids to enjoy without having to drive anywhere. Some of my family’s favorites are Mirror Maze, Guinness World Records, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Tomb Raider 3D, and Louis Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

This last trip we also went into Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. This was against my better judgment since I hate being scared. It was SCARY!! My then 7-year-old survived and had a blast, but just keep in mind it is scary as heck!

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch

This is one of my kids’ favorite places to visit when we go to San Antonio. The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is such a cool place to visit. You get to go on safari in your own car and get up close to some beautiful animals. There’s also a petting zoo you can visit after your safari. My kids LOVE that part.

You can buy food pellets when you go in, and I highly recommend you do this. You’ll get to feed all the animals right from your car window. It’s definitely a great experience for the kids, young and old! Just remember you read it here: Watch out for the ostrich!

Natural Bridge Caverns

If you go to the Wildlife Ranch, then plan your day accordingly so you can also go next door to the Natural Bridge Caverns. These caverns are amazing and there are different levels you can go down to, depending on your abilities. Make sure to choose one that your children (and you) will be able to handle.

Before going down to the caverns, you can have fun in an outdoor maze on site. We all really enjoyed this part. Just keep in mind, the heat in San Antonio is brutal so you’ll want to stay hydrated at all times.

The Riverwalk

One of the most beautiful sights in San Antonio is the Riverwalk. There are so many shops and restaurants, and of course, the beautiful river running through it all. You can definitely spend an entire day in the Riverwalk area.

My kids especially enjoyed going into The Shops at Rivercenter. There are some great restaurants and activities the whole family can enjoy: Johhny Rockets, Ben & Jerry’s, Dave & Buster’s, Legoland Activity Center, Battle for Texas: The Experience, just to name a few. For all the shops, nicely organized by level, visit the RiverCenter website.

Market Square – El Mercado

For a vibrant and colorful experience, you don’t want to miss El Mercado, also known as Market Square. It’s a wonderful experience with all the sounds and flavors of Mexico. Our favorite place to eat there is Mi Tierra. The food is excellent! You can do some shopping and walk around in the fiesta atmosphere. Don’t miss it!

Kid-Friendly Places to Eat in San Antonio

Now, onto my favorite part of every trip. Eating! I love trying different restaurants and types of food when we travel. San Antonio proved to be an awesome destination for kid-friendly restaurants. Not only were they kid friendly, but the food was amazing. The food was so tasty, I wrote a whole post on the Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in San Antonio. Make sure to check it out for details.

There are so many great places to eat at in San Antonio. You can have some delicious Tex-Mex, some amazing burgers, incredibly yummy organic food, and so much more. You’ll definitely need your stretchy pants when vacationing in San Antonio!

Places to Shop in San Antonio

If you have some extra time and are looking to shop a little, then Shops at La Cantera is a beautiful place to go. My kids really enjoyed hanging out there for the day. There was minimal complaining and I got to shop a little!

Of course, if you have a chance to make your way to San Marcos, make sure you hit the outlets there. Lots of fantastic shopping at great prices. All the stores you can imagine are right there in one place!

I hope you have a ball on your trip to San Antonio! As for me, I’m already planning our next visit. I hope this list of things to do with kids in San Antonio is helpful and makes your trip more enjoyable! And if you’re driving there, don’t forget your Road Trip Essentials!

For a comprehensive list of things to do, places to stay, and much more make sure to visit www.visitsanantonio.com.

As most of you know, I was born in Honduras. My whole life, though, I was very involved (and enthralled) in the American culture. I went to “The American School” in Honduras, I’ve spoken both Spanish and English since I was little, my family and I frequented the United States, and some of my very best friends in school were American.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

Born a Honduran, Destined to Become an American

I don’t know what it was that always drew me towards the “American way of life”, but there was always something there. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my home country and love the people there, especially my family. Honduras is where I was born and raised and where my two oldest were also born and raised, and it will always hold a piece of my heart. But for some reason, even growing up, I knew that The United States was where I was going to end up.

a printable patriotic banner over the living room

I remember reading those “Teen” magazines and seeing all the contests announced in them, and they always said, “Open to U.S. residents only.” I would always think to myself, someday, I’ll be able to enter all those contests! I know it may sound like a silly thing, but that was my dream, to be a U.S. resident, and have all the opportunities available to me that were only open to them! I also remember, every time I heard the U.S. National Anthem in my school or on TV, I would get chills. It’s as if it was my own.

Patriotic printables for your 4th of July celebration.

A Taste of the American Experience

When I went to live at a tennis academy in Florida in 11th grade, and then went on to college in Dallas, I got a taste of what it was like to live in the US, and I loved it. It was only a taste, though, since I was not a U.S. Resident yet.

Ryan and I got married in Honduras and came back to Dallas to live our first few months as a married couple there. We then went back to Honduras, and lived 10 wonderful years in my home country, surrounded by my family. But as fate would have it, after 10 years of living there, we would make our way back to Texas.

Proud to Become an American

On March 27th, 2013, I became a citizen of the United States of America. It was such a proud day. I remember sitting in the auditorium thinking, wow, after all these years, I’m finally a U.S. citizen! It was a bittersweet moment because, in a sense, I knew becoming a citizen meant I’d probably not be going back to Honduras again, but at the same time, I knew this was where I was supposed to be.

4th of July printables pack

Most of my family is now living here as well, and those that aren’t I miss dearly but am lucky enough to have many of them visit several times a year.

Celebrating the Fourth Abroad

When we lived in Honduras, Ryan and I would always have my family over for a 4th of July Celebration. It was a celebration we hosted, of course, since it was Ryan who was the “Gringo” of the family. Well, we’ve continued the tradition here and still enjoy hosting a 4th of July celebration with our family and friends!

These cute invitations are included in our Fourth of July printable pack.

Food, Fun and Family

This year, we celebrated a couple of days early so that we could celebrate my daughter’s and my dad’s birthdays, which happens to fall on the same day! We had an All-American celebration with hot dogs, chips, dips, cupcakes, and all the trimmings!

These patriotic photo booth props can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Everyone enjoyed the photo props in the printable pack, and of course, we had to take the obligatory selfie!
Have a blast at your 4th of July celebration with these free photo booth printables.

Decorating With Our 4th of July Printables

We used the printables available to my subscribers, and they made everything look so patriotic! The 4th of July printables party pack is loaded with tons of goodies like water bottle and soda can wraps, a frameable picture, an awesome banner, cupcake toppers, photo props, and more.

I wanted to use everything in the pack, so I spent several hours cutting every single piece that we created. It’s not a task for the weak! I finally made it though. I was able to speed things up by using my new paper trimmer. For all the round or oddly shaped printables, I used scissors.

4th of July decorations [FREE PRINTABLES PACK]
The “Happy Fourth” banner looks great.

Fun in the Sun

It was a beautiful sunny day, so we took full advantage of the pool! Everyone had plenty of sunscreen and bug spray on, and we had a great selection of music thanks to my nephew. He brought a waterproof speaker with him and, WOW, the sound quality was amazing. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about the kids getting it wet while splashing around the pool. It’s definitely on my list of items to get soon! (Update: we got one and LOVE it!)

Free patriotic printables for wrapping water bottles.
These cute water bottle wraps are included in the printable pack.

Since it was so sunny out, we made sure to have plenty of drinks available to keep everyone well hydrated. We wrapped all our water bottles and soda cans with these cute wraps from the printables. I used cardstock and it held up really well.

Beating the Heat With a Refreshing Drink

We also made this crazy delicious Pineapple Mango Lemonade that everyone loved! I featured this drink in my Fun & Refreshing Summer Drinks post where you can find a link to the recipe. The chunks of frozen mango give it the perfect touch!

Celebrate the fourth of July with a refreshing drink and free printables.

Setting up Our All-American Buffet

I found some cute patriotic tins at the Target Dollar Spot, and put the utensils in them. Using the food labels from the 4th of July Printable Pack, I labeled everything in sight!!

Free printable patriotic labels
Free printables pack with 4th of July food labels.

Hot dogs were an easy choice for the party. We simply placed them in the oven and when ready, let everyone fix their own to their liking! We had chili, cheese, sauerkraut, relish, and many other condiments so everyone had plenty of choices.

Free 4th of July printable labels.
Free fourth of July printables

We also had plenty of chips and dips to keep people munching while the hot dogs were cooking. For some ideas of dips, you can make for your party, you can post on easy party dips. You can also make a delicious and easy homemade guacamole everyone will love!

For this party, we had our favorite chicken dip, some store-bought crab dip, and a delicious cream cheese jalapeño dip my mom made. She also made an amazing pasta salad that was a huge hit!

Enjoy the fourth with hotdogs, refreshments and free printables.

A Patriotic Sweet Treat

I found these pretty cupcakes at Walmart, and let me tell you, they were so delicious! They are Kimberley’s Bake Shoppe Cupcakes and they are really moist and super tasty! I bought the strawberry (with strawberry filling!!), lemon, and vanilla. There wasn’t one cupcake left when all was said and done! I highly recommend these if you don’t have time to bake your own. The quality was excellent, and I’ve seen them at other grocery stores as well.

4th of July cupcake toppers in free printables pack.

We topped the cupcakes with the cupcake toppers from the printable pack and they looked so cute! I used lollipop sticks and simply put a piece of clear tape on the back to stick the topper to them.

Serve up some patriotic cupcakes for your 4th of July celebration.

Ending the Party With a Splash

Well, the party was a success and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun! We kept everyone fed and hydrated and, of course, entertained! It was especially entertaining when my son decided it would be a good idea to toss me in the pool, clothes and all! And, unlucky for me, there were some pictures taken of it!!

4th of July printables for free.

Another Great Fourth

I’d say it was another great 4th of July celebration for the books!!

Free 4th of July printable labels for beer bottles, soda cans, and water bottles.

I hope no one misunderstands my excitement for becoming a U.S. citizen and celebrating the 4th of July. In no way, am I less proud of being a Honduran. But all of us that are here, are here for the same reason. We all left our home countries, searching for the wonderful opportunities that are granted to the people of this great nation. I have always felt welcome in the American culture, and to this day, that has never changed. I will always be proud of my roots, but I can also say without a doubt, I am proud to be an American!

For a complete menu for your 4th of July celebration check out my Easy 4th of July Recipes with Instant Pot ideas as well as some stovetop and oven recipes!

Happy 4th of July!

Fall is in the Air!

I’m happy to be able to share my fall decor with you and hope you’ll find at least a little inspiration here today! 😉

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

Christian decorations for fall.

So the truth is, I’ve never been a huge fan of traditional fall colors. I always see the decor in the stores, or at friends’ houses and love it! But when I try to put it in my home, I’m never happy with the way it looks.

Fall decorations for the living room.

Because of this, I never used to really decorate my home for fall. A few years ago, though, I noticed a lot of neutral decor popping up in stores.

Decorating the living room in fall colors.

Lots of creamy white and beige colored pumpkins. I brought some home and was thrilled with the way they looked! I know it’s weird that a color-loving girl like myself would want to go with a neutral fall theme, but I really like the way it coordinates with the rest of my colorful home.

Pretty fall decorations.

Decorating a Dining Room for Fall

I usually only decorate two areas of my home for fall, the dining room and the living room. I go all out for Christmas, so for other seasons, I try to keep it simple. So first, let’s take a look at my dining room!

Fall centerpieces for the dining room.

I was gitty when I walked into TJ Maxx and saw they had aqua pumpkins! Seriously! Aqua!

Fall decor ideas for the dining room.

You know they were made for my home! 😉 I got a couple of pumpkins and this table runner and was good to go!

Fall dining room decor ideas.

I created a very simple tablescape. A large galvanized tray from Cracker Barrel with a few greenish aqua touches and both beautiful pumpkins on each side.

Fun fall table decorations.

If you know me at all, you know I love owls, and they’re always peeking out from somewhere in my year-round decor. But of course, during fall, they all come out to play!

Fall dining room table centerpieces.

I decided to use the aqua pumpkins in my dining room. The pumpkins mixed with the greenery blend perfectly in here! I love the way they complement my dining room wall color. By the way, it’s Sherwin Williams Hazel.

Decorating fall centerpieces for dining room tables.

I also got some mini pumpkins at the Target Dollar Spot and placed them inside my Pioneer Woman mini cake stand. I think they look so cute in there!

Fall centerpiece ideas for the dining room.

The table looks simple yet pretty, and it was definitely done on a budget, only purchasing a couple of things while also making use of last year’s decor.

Ideas for decorating a fall dining room table.

On my buffet, I always start off with my tiered tray. This is probably the most versatile piece of decor I own. I change it up for every season and holiday! It’s a very inexpensive way to decorate for the seasons! Just a few things from the Target dollar spot and a few more items I already had and it was done!

Decorate Your Space!

Here is a list of items you can use to decorate your space.

The linked products below are affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.
Featured Items

Here is a list of the products featured in this post or products similar to those featured in this post:

  • Fall Scented Soaps and Candles : Mrs. Meyer’s has this Apple Cider fall scent for all its soaps, candles and multi-surface cleaner. This sweet and crisp seasonal scent has a touch of spice that will have your home smelling delicious throughout the fall season.
  • Mini Cake Stand : This mini cake stand adorns the centerpiece on my dining room table this fall.

I kept everything kind of neutral and organic, with a touch of greenish aqua. Don’t you love that cotton ball?! I definitely have a lot of fun switching the tray up every few months.

Ideas for easy fall decorations in the dining room.

This wooden tray has just a few pieces on it. A wooden owl, a pretty wooden sign, and some wooden beads!  I placed some lamb’s ears (which I love year-round!) in a pretty white vase and done!

Aqua fall decor ideas.

My mirrors, which I have leaning against the wall, stay here all year round. They make the buffet look fuller than it actually is and they match any decor I put in the dining room.

Fall dining room table decorations.

I love the way the pumpkin wreath looks leaning against the mirrors.

Easy fall table decoration ideas for the dining room.

I placed a couple more decor pieces on each side of the tray and some greenery to make the buffet look full. Lots of pumpkin decor of course! As a few of my blogger friends like to say “Give me ALL the pumpkins!”

Simple fall decorating ideas.
Ideas for tasteful fall decorations.

Decorating a Living Room for Fall

Now, onto the living room!

I definitely went neutral in here. Very unlike me, I know, but I’m really enjoying it.

These little cuties were a gift from my late mother-in-law. She loved to go thrift shopping and she knew I love owls! She found these for me on one of her shopping trips.

Fall home decor ideas for the living room.

I love packing things in when decorating my mantel. I basically just place a lot of things together, lean things against the wall, and play with them from there until they look how I want them to. This big wooden owl is a new addition this year. Love it!!

Cute fall decor for the mantel.

The square wreath next to it is one of my favorite fall decor items I own! I found it a couple of years ago, and to be honest, I had never seen a square wreath before. I fell in love as soon as I laid eyes on it! And those tiny, adorable wooden owls in front of it were also a gift from a friend. See what I mean when I say “if you know me at all you know I love owls”?!

Simple autumn color scheme in the living room.

I’m happy with the way things came together on the mantel. I used mostly creams and browns, and a few silver touches.

Cute fall owl decorations for the living room mantel.
Isn’t that square pumpkin wreath just too cute?

Here’s a look from further back. You can see the shelves on each side are decorated for fall as well. Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins! I did throw a squirrel in there on the left side to mix things up!

Neutral fall room decor.
Ideas for decorating a mantel for fall.

I decided to keep it really simple on the coffee table and placed just a single hydrangea and pumpkin arrangement. On my couches, I added a few creamy throw pillows and a throw blanket, and the room was done!

Fall living room decor ideas.
Simple and beautiful hydrangea harvest centerpiece on the table.

Decorating a Kitchen for Fall

The only other spot in the house that has a touch of fall is next to my kitchen sink! I am loving the limited-edition Mrs. Meyer’s soaps, candles, and multi-surface cleaner. They smell delicious!! Nothing says fall like Apple Cider!

The bottles are so pretty I like to keep them on this beautiful tray my friend made me for my birthday! A pretty wooden sign with a touch of copper and a beautiful kitchen towel with a copper pumpkin gives the tray the finishing touch!

Fall decorating ideas for the kitchen.
Love these fall-inspired cleaning products. The apple cider smells so delicious.

There you have it! My Fall Home Tour! I really hope you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed putting it together.

On our recent road trip to San Antonio, we made it our mission to eat at the best kid-friendly restaurants in town. We did a lot of research before leaving and made a long list of places to try.

After eating to our heart’s content at lots of wonderful restaurants in the San Antonio area, we all agreed that these are some of the best places to eat when traveling with children to San Antonio!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

The restaurants on this list are all extremely kid-friendly, but the food will satisfy adults and children alike! They all have wonderful atmospheres and an adequate noise level for these noisy kids of ours! I tried to include various cuisines so you can have some great options when visiting San Antonio. Here we go!

Best Kid-Friendly Burger Joint in San Antonio

Chris Madrid’s

Ok, I have one word. Cheese! Oh my goodness, the cheese on these burgers! I have never had so much cheese on a burger. It was amazing and I loved it!

a macho cheddar cheezy burger chris madrids in san antonio

So Chris Madrid’s has been a San Antonio staple for over 40 years. Unfortunately, they suffered a fire and are still not back in their original location. When we visited, we went to their food truck and tent, which is across from the original restaurant.

my son helping me pick a burger from the menu at chris madrids in san antonio
all my kids at chris madrids in san antonio

Despite the crazy summer heat, it was very enjoyable. There were plenty of fans going and the kids enjoyed the atmosphere.

family time at chris madrids in san antonio

As for the burgers, I have nothing but good things to say! Totally cheesy and oh so delicious! Highly recommended! Most of us got the Macho Cheddar Cheezy and I think that’s the way to go!

Here’s a look at their delicious menu so you can get an idea of what’s in store for you when you visit! For the full menu and updates on when their original location will reopen visit Chris Madrid’s website.

the menu at chris madrids in san antonio

A Great Option if You’re Looking for Fast Food

In-N-Out Burger

While not native to San Antonio, we don’t have In-N-Out where we live and we’ve always wanted to try it out! When we found out they had one on our way from San Antonio to the San Marcos outlets, we knew it was a must.

in-n-out burgers san antonio
the kids loved in-n-out burgers san antonio

We all loved the burgers at In-N-Out! The menu was simple and made it easy to order when you have lots of kids!

a burger and fries at in-n-out burgers san antonio

When we sat down to eat though, we quickly realized we were missing out.

Several people walked by us with these amazing looking fries! What the what the!?

I had to go to the counter and ask what they were and why we didn’t have any at our table! Turns out there’s a not-so-secret, secret menu at In-N-Out!

animal style fries at in-n-out burgers san antonio

The fries were “Animal Style” fries and I quickly ordered several orders to share between us. Absolute perfection! Topped with melty cheese, grilled onions and their famous sauce, these fries are to die for!

Our favorite thing there was definitely the fries, and the burgers did not disappoint. Though I did hear a comment or two from a couple of my kids that they’ll stick with their native Texan Whataburger!

Best Kid-Friendly Tex-Mex in San Antonio

Alamo Cafe

If you want some great Tex-Mex while visiting San Antonio, then this is your place! Several of my friends insisted we go there when I asked for recommendations. I’m so glad I listened!

the entrance of alamo cafe san antonio

The grounds of the restaurant were very nice and reminiscent of the Alamo, of course. The atmosphere was nice and the noise level was perfect for large families with kids.

the kids at the table ready to order at alamo cafe san antonio

We started out with some queso and some of their famous flour tortillas. The tortillas were so good, I had to get some to go! They are some of the best flour tortillas I’ve ever tried. My family agreed. Super thick and fluffy and perfect when dipped into the queso!

fresh tortillas at alamo cafe san antonio
a bag of tortillas at alamo cafe san antonio

We all ordered different things off the menu including Brisket Quesadillas, Puffy Tacos, Street Taco Quesadillas, and a few other things.

puffy tacos at alamo cafe san antonio

My favorite was the Brisket Quesadillas! So incredibly tasty!

steak and cheese quesadillas at alamo cafe san antonio

The kids also enjoyed seeing where they make their delicious tortillas! It was neat to see the factory at work! To read more about this, check out my post, The Best Tortillas in San Antonio.

tortilla factory at alamo cafe san antonio

Everyone really enjoyed their meal. Definitely, a great place to eat when in San Antonio. To see their menu and locations visit The Alamo Cafe website.

alamo cafe san antonio

Best Family-Friendly Food with Laughs on the Riverwalk

Dick’s Last Resort

Ok, I have to preface this by saying if you are a sensitive person who doesn’t take well to sarcasm and crude jokes, please do not go to Dick’s Last Resort. Your server will be rude, obnoxious, and will put you down every chance they get!

dick's last resort restaurant the riverwalk san antonio

We love it! The food is really good (think Chili’s or Applebee’s) and it’s definitely an experience worth having. The atmosphere is perfect for families with kids and our server even asked us if he needed to keep it PG since we had a couple of little ones.

the decor inside dick's last resort restaurant the riverwalk san antonio

We got our traditional paper hats with insults on them and we all laughed at each other. Only one of my children did not take well to the restaurant, though they had been warned about what was about to go down.

the whole family with funny hats at dick's last resort restaurant the riverwalk san antonio

We ordered several delicious plates and everyone enjoyed the food a lot. The little ones went with the usual chicken tenders and the rest of us enjoyed some great adult food.

grilled salmon at dick's last resort restaurant the riverwalk san antonio

If you’re up for a little sarcasm and crude humor, then I recommend visiting Dick’s Last Resort on the Riverwalk.

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant in San Antonio

The Cove

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about trying out The Cove. I’m not one to usually seek out restaurants that tout being organic and sustainable and I honestly thought it would be a challenge to get the kids to find something on the menu. Boy was I wrong!

the cove san antonio

This place is probably one of our favorite places we’ve ever eaten at! Not only in San Antonio.

The restaurant has an awesome, giant playscape, perfect for the kids to enjoy while waiting on the food.

the play area at the cove san antonio
the kids having fun in the play area at the cove san antonio

The menu choices were amazing and we loved every single dish we ordered.

the menu at the cove in san antonio
specials and dessert menu at the cove san antonio

We sat outside so the kids could play, but there’s also an indoor area with live music and a fantastic atmosphere. Definitely the most kid-friendly restaurant we visited while in San Antonio. People were friendly, relaxed and we all wished we had The Cove back home when it was time to leave.

live music at the cove san antonio

The food comes beautifully plated, and the flavor is perfect! I ordered the shrimp taco and loved it.

shrimp tacos at the cove san antonio

We got an order of sweet potato fries and the sriracha mayo that comes with them was so good!

the sweet potato fries at the cove san antonio

Ryan got a warm beet salad and we were obsessed with it! Phew, the combination of flavors in that salad was spectacular! We loved it so much we came home and made our own version of the beet salad inspired by the one from The Cove. The recipe will be on the blog soon!

warm beet salad at the cove san antonio
warm beet salad the cove san antonio

By far, our favorite kid-friendly restaurant in San Antonio was The Cove. You must go when visiting San Antonio! To read more about it head over to The Cove’s website.

I recently wanted to make some Indian food so I made a trip to the Indian Food Store. Well, with so many goodies to choose from, I ended up coming home with lots of bags of delicious spices.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

After making several meals I found myself with a small mess of open spice bags that had to be clipped close.

some bulk spices in bags that need a storage solution

So, of course, I quickly convinced myself that I needed a mini-organization project! Organizing is one of my favorite things to do, so any excuse I can come up with is fair game.

Finding the Right Containers

In order to get started, I made a quick trip to Target and came home with some Ball jars. These pint jars are perfect because they are short and fat and seemed appropriate for storing spices.

I like the wide-mouth jars since it makes it easier to scoop things out.

two packs of ball pint jars for spice storage

I knew I wanted (and needed) to label them, so I made sure and get some that had at least one side of the jar free of raised lettering.

This pint design also has flatter sides making it easy to attach the label to each jar and not have to worry about the corners starting to peel off.

I cleaned the jars as recommended and got to work!

using ball pint jars is a great spice storage idea
Get Organized!

Here is a list of items you can use to help you get organized.

The linked products below are affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.
Featured Items

Here is a list of the products featured in this post or products similar to those featured in this post:

  • Wide Mouth Pint Jars : These pint jars are the perfect size for spices. They are big enough to hold a large amount of spice and the large mouth of the jars makes it easy to scoop out the spices when I need them.
  • Label Maker : I recently picked up one of these label makers because I’ve always wanted one and this project proved to be the perfect opportunity for me to finally use it.
12 Of My Favorite Organization Products

These are all My Favorite Organization Products. I know you’ll find something to help you get your home in order.

An Easy Way to Label

On a recent trip to Target, I gifted myself a label maker and was waiting to find a reason to use it. I have wanted a label maker since I was little! One of my cousins had one and always made labels for her things. I thought it was so neat!

It’s crazy that it took this long for me to get one!

I did a little research and decided on the Dymo LetraTag which was perfect for me. It’s tiny, easy to use, and the labels come out perfect! Plus, it’s a pretty blue, so that sealed the deal.

the dymo label maker

Of course, you don’t need a label maker to label your spices. You could use masking tape or pre-made labels. Chalkboard labels would look really pretty as well. In my humble opinion, though, a label maker is fun and makes it really easy to label anything!

Using the Dymo LetraTag

I had never used a label maker before, but I’m telling you, this one is foolproof. You just type in the words you want and hit “Print”.

You can choose upper or lower-case lettering. I decided to go with the lower-case for my spice labels.

labeling spice containers with the dymo label printer

After hitting print, your label will print out from the back of the label maker.

printing a label using the dymo label printer

It has a handy cutting tool on the side you simply press for a perfectly clean cut. It’s so easy to label things and make them look pretty!

That day, I may or may not have labeled lots and lots of things in the house!

a dymo label printer

Look how nice they all turned out! You guys need to know, this isn’t a sponsored post or anything, I just LOVE my little label maker!!

printing labels for spice jars using a dymo label printer

For just a second, I struggled to try to remove the paper backing, only to realize the label ribbon is perfectly split in the back for easy removal. Once I figured it out, it was a breeze to peel the labels off.

labeling spice containers

The labels were easy to put on and I did my best to get them as straight as possible. I think they look great!

labeling a spice jar
using jars for spice storage solutions

The Final Step

Finally, I poured all the spices into the jars. You could use a funnel to avoid a mess, but I did OK without one.

filling labeled spice jars

The jars I got were the perfect size for the bags of spices I had. Make sure to check the sizes of any bulk spices you get to make sure the jar will hold that amount.

storing spices in a spice jar

The Result: Beautiful and Colorful Spice Jars

Tada!! Look at all those beautiful colors. The spices are labeled, stored and they look pretty! Can’t beat that.

These will now look perfect inside my organized pantry!

labeled spice storage containers
using glass jars is a great spice storage idea

I hope you enjoyed this mini-organization project. Now you have an idea of what to do with all those open spice bags. For more fun projects, head over to my organizing section on the blog!